Indiana Line Utah5 acoustic speaker

Indiana Line is a historic Italian brand, known to most enthusiasts, and born in the early 1970s. But what does Utah have to do with Indiana Line? Soon said. Not everyone knows, in fact, that Indiana Line’s roots lie between deep America and the industrial heart of Piedmont. In fact, its journey begins in Utah, in the United States, and passes through the historic Selectra of Turin, at the time the holder of prestigious brands such as Revac. It was Selectra itself, at a crucial moment in its history, that decided to import Utah loudspeakers to Italy-a name that, in itself, leaves little doubt about its origins. And there is a curiosity that tells well of the pioneering spirit of the time: the speakers were shipped to Italy “in pieces,” to be then assembled locally. A necessary choice, if one wanted to contain the heavy customs duties that burdened the import of finished products.

Utah 5, vintage dress modern content

The new Utah speaker range bears the signature of the same minds behind the success of Indiana Line products. Kicking off the series are these Utah 5s, which anticipate a future line of retro-inspired speakers. If these can be read as a sort of Theses in a vintage key (here the test of the Theses 6), the upcoming Utah 8s – with an expected price double – are shaping up to be a real Diva (here the test of the Diva 6) of yesteryear. A return to the roots, then, for a brand that winks at the past. The original Utah speakers, in fact, featured parallelepiped shapes, real wood finishes, and fabric grilles, closely recalling the iconic designs of the JBL and Acoustic Research (AR) speakers of the golden years

but none the less ESB’s successful LD series, particularly the 80LD and 100LD models and just to give a few examples. Over the years, loudspeaker design has followed two distinct strands: on the one hand, bookshelf stand-mounts, and on the other, floorstanding, freestanding towers. Speakers with dimensions similar to those of the Utah 5 (32x62x30 cm) have gradually disappeared, making way for more standardized formats. Only recently are we seeing a return of these “hybrid” volumes, suspended between past and present. Today, speakers of this type are increasingly rare, the few recent examples include the JBL L100 or 4312, the KLH Model 5, the Wharfedale Linton Heritage, the Klipsch Heresy IV, and the Eltax Vintage PWR. Most, however, cannot be rested directly on the floor-an exception made just for the new Utah 5 and Eltax Vintage PWR1959 but they do need an inclined stand But it is on price that the Utah 5s play their trump card: the absolutely competitive price list makes them among the most attractive options in the vintage-affordable range, with a price/quality ratio that is hard to match.

Smart compromises

The speaker manages to be so competitive for a few reasons. The first is the great economy of scale of a manufacturer specializing in the entry-level segment, with a high number of pieces produced, all in the Far East, where the manufacturing was decentralized. On the other, the design is an intelligent and wise choice between compromises, which allowed for amazing results using components largely already seen in other loudspeakers. The cabinet is made of sturdy MDF and carefully covered with a PVC finish, two color options: light oak or black both with an imposing matte black front. Another smart choice, we mentioned, is the lack of a dedicated stand, which in addition to being a saving, allows a much easier installation without additional elements. The shape of the cabinet, for that matter, has the back edge tilted slightly backward, which allows for natural tilting. This seemingly simple design detail actually plays a crucial role in optimizing acoustic alignment by allowing a strong reduction in parasitic floor reflections.

For those who want more flexibility in positioning, the equipment includes rear feet, which also make the speaker suitable for low-shelf, console or stand installations, always maintaining the proper tilt or eliminating it where not needed. Beautiful and evocative, the 10-inch woofer, enclosed in a 270-millimeter basket, is a fine component with a polypropylene diaphragm that ensures structural rigidity and effective damping of resonances. The midrange is entrusted to a 5-inch transducer also with a polypropylene diaphragm, installed in a separate acoustic chamber. Impressive is the front panel on which the midrange is mounted, strongly reminiscent of the great loudspeakers of the past. As for the high frequencies, Utah 5 employs a newly developed tweeter with a 26-millimeter fabric dome, coupled with a powerful neodymium magnetic system. The crossover is directly derived from the Diva 6 and Tesi 6 series and adopts discrete components. The smartest thing they have done, the designers have done, in arriving at an impressive 94dB of efficiency, which allows Utah5 to be driven by virtually any amplifier, managing to sound even large rooms without uncertainty.

Exuberant and fun

The first impression is one of great sonic presence, immediately striking for fullness and energy. The 10-inch woofer works great: the bass is very extended and full-bodied, goes down deep without too much effort, and fills the room unexpectedly. At times, especially on pieces with double bass or big bass drums, the low end tends to overpower the rest a bit, giving the sound a warm, textural character that can be pleasing but in some modern recordings risks being a bit overdone. It is a bass with good control, not muddled, but the amount is generous and requires some care in speaker placement, as their bass-reflex alignment on the floor maximizes in-room response. Pleasant timbre with a midrange that is probably the Utah 5’s strong point: warm, natural, with good openness and nice presence of voices, both male and female. The midrange credibly weaves harmonics without ever sounding tinny or artificial. Even in acoustic and jazz recordings, vocals have a body and delicacy that convey a pleasant sense of realism, while strings are round, perhaps less less transparent than in more neutral speakers, but still musical. The high range, reproduced by the soft-dome tweeter, is well integrated with the rest. It is a fairly sweet treble that is never fatiguing, with a hint of brightness when needed, but that does not go so far as to be aggressive or edgy. There is a certain limitation in the extreme resolution: the micro-details of cymbals and reverberations are there, but they are not foregrounded, and the soundstage tends to favor overall coherence over surgical analyticity. The soundstage is quite wide and develops well in both width and height, with decent but not spectacular depth. The image is stable and well anchored, with good proportions between instruments. Dynamics are another interesting aspect: while not being lightning fast, the Utah 5s can give a nice sense of rhythm and liveliness in the more energetic passages, with an ability to fill even large rooms without signs of fatigue. The Utah 5s are probably designed for those looking for a floorstanding speaker capable of conveying emotion and involvement, with a strong character and a warm, generous feel that makes them perfect for genres such as rock, blues, pop, jazz, acoustic music and even soundtracks. They represent an excellent balance between musicality, ease of driving, and looks thanks to their vintage design. They are accommodating, which makes them easy to appreciate from the first listen, especially in medium to large rooms where they can express themselves best without overemphasizing the low end.

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